Rotary internal-combustion engine



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oTfro vJ. Elsene, OFNEWYORK, N. Y.-

ROTARY iNTEnnAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Sp'ecicati'onvoif Letters Patent.

lPatamaea Mar. e, i920.

Application filedJune 4, 1919. Serial No. 301,655.

To all whomp't may concern Be it known that l, OTTO J. EisELii, a

citizen of the 'United States, vresiding atA New York, in the county and State of New 'York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention' relates to rotary internal .combustion engines, and has for its obJect to provide a structure which is more simple in construction and more' effective in operation than'such engines as heretoforemade.

It is also the aim of the invention to iniprove the water cooling system, and siml fined in the claims at the end of the description.

In the `accomp anying drawings, wherein similar. reference characters are used to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views -Figure 1 is an end view of a rotary in ternal combustion engine constructed substantially in accordance with this invention'.

Fig. 2 is a detailed view of one of the eccentric gears for operating the fuel pumps.

Fig. 3 is a central vertical section through the engine from end to end, as on the line III-III, Fig. 5.

' Fig. 4 is a section `on the line IVV of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5

Fig. 3. l

` Fig. G is a detailed.centralsection of one of the suplemental sections of the casing of is a section on the linel V-Vof theengine, the section being taken axially.

Fig. 7 is an outside plan view'of the movable bucket carrying plate drawn to a larger scale.

Fig. 8 is a broken longitudinal section through the casing on the line VHF-VITI of Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 is an edge view of the plate shown in Fig. 7. l

Fig. 10 isa detailed side or face view of the middle disk of the piston which contains the combustion chambers.

Fig. '11 is asimilar View of one'of the disks which are arranged on either side of said middle disk inthe piston. l

Fig. 12 isa similar view ofone of the outside disks "of r the piston, looking at the saine from the outside.

' Fig. 13 is asectional view of the-several disks composing the piston in proper relative positions -to be assembled. l

Fig. 14 is a detailed view of one of the pitmen or pump rods.

Fig. 15 is an end view of one of the fuel supply nozzles, and

Fig. 16 is a detailed View ofone of said spring pressed nozzles for supplying the fuel from the pumps to the passages' 'in the piston leading to the combustion chambers.

The casing of the engine comprises two .supplemental members v1 and 2, each having an annular wall 3, and end wall 4, a concentric annular -wall 5 extending beyond the end wall, and an annular flange 6 at its open end, as shown in Fig. 6. The sections or members 1 and 2 are secured together by bolts 7 passed through said {ianges 6 asbestv shown in Fig. 3. In the 'central opening 8 in the end wall of each member of the casing there is fitted a tubular bearing 9 for the shaft 10, said bearing preferably having a bushing'll. The bearing 9 also formstheinner wallv of the annular pump cylinder 12 at each end of the engine, the

outer wall of each ef said pump cylinders being formed by the annular wall 5 on each casing member. Within l each of said pump cylinders a ring-shaped piston 13 is arranged to move between the wall 5 and the tubular bearing 9. Each piston is suitably packed at its edges by packing rings 14.

A bracket 15 is arranged horizontally across the outer end of each of the annular walls 5, as best shown in Fig. 2, said bracket having flanges 16 secured to said wall 5 .by screws 17 or4 otherwise. Each bracket has a central opening 18 tofit around the end of the bearing 9, Fig. 3, and from the margin of said Aopening arms 19 extend from the bracket outwardly along but spaced from the shaft above and below the same. A. bevel gear 2,0 is rotatably mounted on each of said arms 19 so as to face the gear on the other one, and anotherbevel gear .21.mounted on the xshaft 1() to rotate therewith pitmen 23 in unison, and that Asaid rods arepump. It will be noted that the eccentrics 22 are arranged to actuate the piston rods or connected to. the piston 13 at diametrically opposite points, so that said piston will be.

reciprocated continuously and truly as the shaft 10 revolves.4

The rotary piston 25, which is arranged to rotatefreely within the casing, is composed of'a plurality'of disks, preferably five,.-

` as shoyvnbest in'Figs. 3 and 13. The middle disk 26, Figs. 5 and 10,1 has a plurality of combustion chambers of ythe piston.

.' two disks 28 on either side'of the middle. disk 26 lserve to close said combustion chamslots 27 opening on its periphery atequidistantly spacedpoints and constituting'the The bers at the sides so that they open only'on the periphery of the piston 25. The outer or .end disks 2 9 .havelangesBO around their -lperipherie's to` space their body portions shown in Fig. 3.

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away from the disks 28,' leaving spaces 31 between said end disks and-'the disks 28 which communicate with each other through enlarged bores32 and 33 in the disks 26 and 28, respectively, and slots 34 and. 35 formed' 4respectively in the same disks and arranged to register with one'another when the ve disks are secured together by the bolts 36 which are passed through them axially near their peripheries. Other. fastening means, as the screws 37, may be passed through the three middle disks', as best shown in Fig. 3.

Passages v33 lead through the left hand end disk 29'and adjacent disk 28 into the combustion chambers 27, there preferably being three of said passages, one leading to each chamber. Similar passages 39 lead to said combustion chambers from the other end of the. piston through the right hand end disk and adjacent disk 28, as clearly The outerends ofthe passages 38 and 39 are arranged -respecs tively in the path of' fuel feeding nozzles 40 and 41 leading respectively from the.

fuel pumps at the opposite ends of the enends 40, and the adjacent ends of the pas-l sages 38 and 39 are similarly flared at 41a, Figs. 4 and 12, so as to effect a proper communication between said nozzles and passa-ges when the pistonl is rota-ting rapidly. At the inner end 'of each passage 38 and 39 there is placed a check valve 42, Fig. 3, opening inward into the combustion chamber with which said passages communicate.

The fuel is drawn into the pumps through -pipes 43 and 44, one of which is in com- Said nozzles have flared discharge-- munication with each of .the pumps and -which is fitted with a check valve 45 openv toprevent leakage.

he ignition of the gas in the combustion chambers is effected by means of spark plugs 47 of any suitable construction. One of said spark plugsis arranged 'in a passage 48 leading into each of the combustion chambers, as shown in Fig. 3. I Wires 49 carryingthe ignition current extendthrough said passages 48 and are electrically'connected to a metal segmental-ring .or hoop 50 seated in the periphery of the piston and having direct contact with a shoe 51 carried Vby the casing 'and with which the external wires 52 of the ignition circuit are connected through the binding post 53. There are three segments 5 -00 comprising the 'ring orv hoop 50, as shownin Fig-4, and each segment is insulated from the others and from the piston. Each segment controls the sparking 'of lthe plug in'a different one of the combustion chambers, and each of said segments comes in contact successively with the shoe 51 as the pistonnrevolves.

In the central portion'of the casing opposite the openings of the combustion chambers there are arranged a Aseries of abutments or buckets 54, as best shown in Figs.

'5 and 6. 'These buckets extend about twothirds of the way around the casing and may be made integral therewith .or suitably fastened thereto so as to remain stationary while the piston rotates. When the gases are exploded in the combustion chambers which open upon saidl buckets or abutments, the concussion acts aga-inst them to Aforce the piston around, as will be readily'u'nderstood. In the other third of the casing notA occupied by the buckets 54there isan exhaust passage 55 leading to an exhaust port 56, and the remainder of said space is covered by a. bridge 4or shoe 57 in the. form of an arcuate plate or frame having a closed endiportion 58 adapted to close the combustion chambers while they are being charged,

and an opening 59 normally closed by an overlapping series ofshutters G0 correspending to the fixed abutmei ts 54. -These shutters are yieldinglyheld another, as shown in Figs. 5, 7 and '9, by springs 61 attached to the hubs ofsaid shutters and extending across the latter. When the explosion occurs, which takes place when the combustion chambers come successively osed upon one Aopposite said shut-ters, the latter are forced I open and swing outward until theycome in contactwith riosv 62 on the casing and form 'bucketsf54,` see the dotted line with said ribs the equivalents ofthe fixed position of the shutters in Fig 5." A y The bridge Aplate -57 is held in place by boltsl 63 arranged 'at the fou-r corners thereof, andsprings 64 coiled about said bolts serve to press said plate tightly against the periphery of thepiston. 1`he casing of the engine may be mounted onany suitablevbasea or foundation, as suggested at 65 in Figs. 1 and 3. i

1n operation 22 and rods 23, thepistons 13 thus vreciprocated drawing in the fuel and after compressing the same forcing it into the' combustion chambers of the rotary piston, as already explained. The ignition of the gas thus forced into said combustion chambers is timed by any suitable `meohanism (not4 shown) so as to cause each chamber tobe fired when it comes opposite the shutters 60 around past them and any unspent gases will act upon the fixed buckets or abut-ments 54 to further rotate the piston. Vent openings 66 are formed in the casing to communicate with certain. of the buckets for permitting-the spent gases to escape. It will be noted that the abutments are formed with inclined rebent portions 67 constituting the Y buckets proper against which the impact 'of the gases is directed, so that the presence of the vent openings 66' will not nullify the action of said imp-act.

For cooling the piston, water is circulated through bores 68 and 69 entering the shaft 10 lfrom opposite ends and extending to points near its center, thence through ports 70 and 71 communicating with the bores and the outside of the shaft, and thence through the spaces 31 between the end disks 29 and the adjacent disks 28 of the rotary piston, and through the enlarged bores 32 and 33 and the slots 34 and 35. The passages for the fuel and ignition wires are surrounded by bosses 72 and 78, respectively, on the end disks of the rotary piston so as toexclude the water from said passages.

As shown in Fig. 3, the -pumps on the opposite ends of the casing operate alter- ,f after the piston is'started in any suitable manner, the rotation of the shaftwill cause the pumps to operate through the gears 20 and 21 andeccentrics j nately to draw inthe fuel through the pipes .44k and feed said'y fuel to the combustion *chambers in order. ".i`hus,.the pump at one end of the engine v'casing draws in the fuel while'the pumpA at the otherend is forcing the fuel from its cylinder into one of the combustion chambers. Then, when the next explosion chamber comes around' opposite the feeding nozzles, the pump which had 'previously been drawing in the fuel forces it into said chamber to charge' -the same while the other pump is drawing in fuel fer the third combustion chamber. When there are three combustion'chanibers, as illus-v trated, the gears 21 and 204 should be in such `relation as to cause said gears 2O toturn one land a half revolutions to each revolution of the gears 21 and the shaft 10.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a rotary internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylindrical piston having combustion chambers openingen its periphery, of a casing having abutments around said piston, a shaft journaled in the casing and on which thepiston is fixed to rotate therewith, pumps at the opposite ends ,of the casing for supplying fuel 'alternately to said combustion. chambers, means for driving said pumps from said shaft, and means for periodically igniting the thel combustion Chambers. Y

2. In a rotary internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylindrical. piston having combustion chambers opening on its heriphery, of a casing having abutments around said piston` a shaft carrying the piston and journaled in the casing, a pump cylinder on the end of the casing, a piston 'in said pump cylinder adapted to be reciprocated axially of the rotary piston and shaft, and gearing for actuating said pump piston from said shaft.

3.- In a rotary internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylindrical piston having combustion chambers opening on its periphery,` of a casing having abutments around said piston, a shaft carrying the pisfuel in cated axially of the rotary piston and shaft,

a bevel gear on said shaft, an eccentric gear meshing with said bevel gear, and a rod connected'to the pump piston an( said eccentric gear.

4. In a rotary internal combustion engine. the combinati-on with4 a cylindrical piston having combustion chambers opening on its periphery, of a casing having abutments around said piston, a shaft carrying the piston and journaled in the casing, a pump cylump inderl surrounding said shaft, a ring-shaped piston :n said pump cylinder, and gearing lfor imparting a reciprocating movement tosaid lpump'piston from the rotating shaft.

5. -In a', rotary internal combustion engine, the combination With a cyllndrlcal piston having .coinfbustion chambers opening ony 'the combination with a cylindrical piston having combustion chambers lopening on its periphery, of a casing having abutments around said piston, a shaft carrying the plston and journaled in the casing, an annular 'Wall on the casing concentric with theshaft,

a ring-shaped piston fitted to be reciprocated in said annular Wall around the shaft, a

' bridge member secured t-o said annular wall and through which the shaft extends, arms on said bridge member extending along the shaft, eccentric bevel gears journaled in said arms, piston rods connected to said eccentric gears and to the ring-shaped piston, and a bevel gear on the shaft meshing With said eccentric gears. Y.

7. In a rotary internal combustion'engine, the combinationwvith a cylindrical rotary piston having combustion chambers opening on its periphery, of a casing having abutments around said piston, a shaft carrying the. piston and journaled in the'casiiig, a;V

pump on each end of the casing, means for conveying fuel from said pumps through each end of the casing and rotary piston into said combustion chambers, and means for periodically igniting the fuel in said chambers.

8. In a rotary internal combustion engine,

vvthe combination with a cylindrical rotary piston having combustion chambers opening on its periphery, of a casing having abutments around said piston, a shaft carrying the piston and liournaled in the casing, said piston having fuel intake passages leading from said combustion chambers tothe ends of said piston, and fuel supplying nozzles carried by the casingand bearing against the ends of the piston in the path ofsaid intake passages therein.

9. In a rotary internal combustion engine, thercornbination with a cylindrical rotary piston having combustion chambers opening on its periphery, of a casing having abutments around said piston, a shaft carrying the piston and journaled in the casing, said tary piston having combustion chambers` opening on its periphery, of a casing having abutments around said piston, there being' fuel intake 'passages in said piston leading intoy said combustion chambers from -the ends of piston, and spring-pressed fuel supplying nozzles carried bygthe casing and pressed against the ends of the piston .in the path of said intake passages, the mouths of said passages-and .nozzles being' flared Vfor the purpose specified..

11. In arotary internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylindrical rotary piston having combustion chambers opening on its periphery, of a casing having abutments around said piston, there being fuel intake passages in said piston leading into the combustion chambers from the ends of the piston, fuel supplying nozzles carried by the casing and engaging the ends of the piston in the path of the intakepasi sages, and check valves inl said passages for preventing the escape f the fuel from the combustion'chambers when the nozzles are not in line with said passages. 4

121 In a rotary internal combustion engine, the Vcombination with a rotary piston having internal combustion chambers opening onits periphery, of a casing having abutments around ,the piston, 'there being water circulating passages in said piston between and at both sides of said chambers, and a shaft-carrying the piston and journaled in the casing,`said shaft having circulating passages for cooling Water communicating with the passages inthe piston. v

13. In a rotary `internal combustion engine, the combination With a rotary piston having internal combustion chambers opening on its periphery,`of a casing having abutments around the piston, there being water circulating passages in said piston-between and at both sides ofsaid chambers,

and a shaft carrying the piston and journaled. in the casing, said shaft having a bore entering from one end and communicating -with the'vvater circulating passages in the piston, and another bore entering from the other end and also'communicating With said water 'circulating passages in the piston.

14. -In a rotary internal Acombustion engine, the combination with a casing having internal abutments, of a rotary piston in said casing and having internal combustion chambers opening on its periphery, said piston consisting of a plurality of disks secured together face to face, and one of the internal disks having slots constituting the combustion chambers.

l5. In a rotary internal combustion engine, the combination with a casing having internal abutnients, of a rotary piston in said casing and having internal combustion chambers opening on its periphery, said piston consisting of a plurality of disks secured together face to Jface, one of the internal disks having slots constituting the combustion chambers, and' the disks on either side of said slotted internal disk iorm` ing the Walls of said chambers` at the sides of the slots.

16. In a rotary internal combustion enine, the combination With a casing having internal abutments, of a rotary piston in said casing and havinginternal combustion chainbers opening on its periphery, said piston consisting of a pluralitiv of disks secured together face to face, one of the internal disks having slots constituting the combustion chambers, the disks on either side of said slotted internal disk forming the Walls of the chambers at the sides of the slots, and Water circulating spaces in said disks and between the outside end disks and the one adjacent thereto.

17. In a rotary internal combustion engine, the combination with a rotary piston having combustion chambers opening on its periphery, of a casing having xed abutments extending partially around said pis-A ton, and a series ofinovable overlapping abutments arranged at the point Where the opening of each chamber lis arranged at the sparking time.

18. In a rotary internal combustion engine, the combination with a rotary piston having combustion chambers opening on its periphery, of a casingA having fixed abutments extending partially around @aid niston, a series of movable overlapping abutlments arranged at the point wheretlie opening of each chamber is arranged at the.

sparking time, andv resilient means for yieldingly holding said movable abut-ments in closed position upon one another until the explosion takes'place.

19. In an rotary internal combustion engine, the combination With a rotary v piston having combustion chambers opening on its periphery, of a casing having fixed abut" ments extending partially around-said piston, an exhaust port with which said cham-` bers are brought'into communication after plate arranged between said exhaust port and the fixed abutmentssaid shoe having an imperforate portion to close each of the- 'chambers at the point Where it is being charged, said shoe also having a slot. arranged opposite the point Where the opening in each chamber is positioned when the sparking takes place, and movable overlapping abutments in said slot in the-shoe andl normally but yieldingly retained in closed position upon one another'.

20. In a rotary internal combustion engine, the combination with a rotary piston .passing said ixed abutments, and a shoe.

having combustion chambers opening on its periphery, of a casing having fixed abuti In testimonylvvhereof, I have signed my` `name to this speciication.

OTTO J. EISELE. 

